


Taste of Adversity

by Guardian_of_Hope



Series: A Living Soul [1]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemons, Family, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-24 19:44:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/943924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_of_Hope/pseuds/Guardian_of_Hope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucy stepped into a wardrobe and discovered a country, while at her side trotted a young husky.  Together with their siblings, girl and daemon must help Narnia embrace the coming spring, and do a little growing up of their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beyond The Lamp Post

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Chronicles of Narnia fic crossed over with His Dark Materials in that there are daemons for the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. It's in part a coming of age story for Lucy and her siblings.
> 
> It's assumed that you have knowledge of AT LEAST The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, if not the full Chronicles story.
> 
> If you don't know HDM, daemons are a representation of the human soul given physical form. They're a little bit like Jiminy Cricket, but people tend to listen to them because of the hurt one, hurt both bond they share. Children's daemons tend to take on a variety of forms at a whim or at need, while adults' daemons are settled into a single form. It is said that you can learn a lot about a man by his daemon.

 

It takes her a moment to get beyond his goat-like legs, but when Lan tugs her hair with his beak, she tilted her head to listen.  "He has no daemon."

"What?"  Lucy yelped, forgetting she did not need to be so loud.

"What, what?"  The strange creature asked, "I wanted to know if you were a beardless dwarf."

"I'm not a dwarf," Lucy replied, "I'm a girl."  She tried to ignore the twisting in her gut in favor of a joke, "Actually, I'm tallest in my class."

The stranger mutters to himself for a moment before staring at her intently, "But are you, or are you not, a human?"

"What else would I be?"  Lucy asked.  "My name is Lucy Pevensie, and this is Parthalán."

"I am Tumnus the Fawn," the stranger said carefully.  He bent to pick up a package, eyes still mostly on Lucy.

"Pleased to meet you, Mister Tumnus," Lucy said as Lan jumped from her shoulder.  By the time he landed in the snow, his robin form was gone and he began to push packages towards Tumnus with all the glee of a husky puppy.

"What kind of magic is that?"  Tumnus asked, drawing back in shock.

Lan sat down and stared at Tumnus in surprise.  "I'm a daemon," he said and jumped up to dance and wag his tail.

"A demon," Tumnus said, with an expression of fear.

"No, a daemon," Lucy said corrected him, "Everyone has one back home.  He won’t hurt you Mister Tumnus, he’s not like that."

Tumnus stuttered for a moment, "But why does he change shape?"

"Because I'm a child," Lucy said.  She wrapped her arms around her stomach and shivered.  Lan turned into a ferret and Lucy picked him up.  He wrapped himself around Lucy's neck like a scarf, which did help a little.

"What does that have to do with anything?"  Tumnus asked hesitantly, and then looked around, "You're cold.  My place is not too far from here; would you care to come to tea, Lucy Pevensie?  We can then discuss this in comfort."

Lucy hesitated, and Lan wiggled until his mouth was against her ear, "I don't know," he whispered, "he's very nervous."

"He's never met a human before, he doesn't know what a daemon is," Lucy replied as her stomach gurgled.  "I'm sure it will be ok."

Lan hesitated, "Ok, but be careful, Lu."

"I will," Lucy said.  She smiled at Tumnus, "I would love to join you for tea."  She picked up his last package.

"Then let me offer you my arm," Tumnus said, "and we can share my umbrella."

Lucy smiled at him, “I’d like that, Mister Tumnus.”  She slipped her arm through Tumnus and allowed him to lead her away while Lan flittered around them as a bird.

Tumnus lived in a cave, which Lucy thought was appropriate, given how warm and dry the room was.  There was a fireplace with a delightfully warm fire, and Tumnus was quick to light candles.  “You have a lovely home,” Lucy said as she looked around.  Her mother had brought ladies from the VAD home on several occasions and Lucy had heard all of them say that.

“Thank you,” Tumnus replied.

Lan perched on Lucy’s shoulder for a moment before darting over to one of the bookcases, “’Is Man A Myth?’”  He said.

“What?”  Lucy asked as she walked over.

“This book,” Lan said, changing into a ferret, “it’s called ‘Is Man A Myth’, how odd.”

“It’s not very good,” Tumnus said as he came up behind Lucy.  “But there aren’t many good books anymore.”

“Why not?”  Lucy asked, looking up at Tumnus.

“They’ve been banned,” Tumnus replied, “only books approved by the White Witch may be owned.”  He stared at the bookshelf for a moment before reaching for the book.

Lan squeaked and scrambled out of the way, leaping for Lucy to avoid Tumnus’s touch.

“What’s wrong?”  Tumnus asked.

“You almost touched him,” Lucy said, unsteadily.  “You’re not supposed to touch someone’s daemon.”  She shuddered, because she could remember the one time Edmund had tripped and his hand had brushed Lan as he had tried to catch himself.

“I don’t understand,” Tumnus said, watching as Lan became a puppy and watched him from Lucy’s arms.  “What is a daemon?”

Lucy moved to sit down in one of Tumnus’s chairs, “My daemon is my soul,” she said, remembering the book her mother had given her.  “He is me.”

“I’m sorry, but isn’t the soul inside a person?”  Tumnus asked.

“No,” Lucy said, her eyes wide, “not for humans.  We have daemons, and they are our souls.”

“Then why does he change?”  Tumnus asked.

Lucy shrugged, “Daemons change forms when we’re children, but as we get older, they settle into the form that best defines us.  But nobody can say when a daemon will settle, or what form.  Sometimes they run in families, like my friend Melinda, her family’s run to cats for ages.”

“And you do not touch them,” Tumnus said.

“Oh no,” Lucy shook her head, “no one would dare.  It is _awful,_ Edmund did it once; he was falling and touched Lan on accident.  It was horrible, I threw up for _ages_ afterwards, and that was an accident.”  She shuddered, holding Lan closer to her, and the anxious daemon licked her cheek reassuringly.

Then the kettle whistled and Tumnus leapt to make tea, and as he did so, he began to tell her of Narnia.  There were cakes and scones, and little sandwiches with the tea, and Tumnus knew many fun stories to pass the time.  After their meal, Tumnus rose to fetch a beautifully carved wooden box, “Of course, we fauns were the key musicians in the great dances,” he told Lucy as he sat back down.  “There isn’t another in Narnia who could play the songs we did.”  He smiled at her and began to play a beautiful, haunting melody unlike anything Lucy had heard in England.

She tried to keep her eyes open, but it wasn’t long before her eyes grew heavy, and she slept.


	2. The Witch Queen

Edmund sighed as he stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his mouth with one hand.  Izzy, Iseult, slipped around his neck like a vibrant, green necklace, “You know, if you had listened,” the emerald tree boa started to say.

“Come on Lan.”

Edmund stepped back into the bathroom, and peered out carefully.  Lucy, holding a pair of boots, was watching as Lan trotted out of the room.

“I want to see Mister Tumnus again,” Lan announced as they headed down the hallway.

Edmund looked at Izzy, “Should we follow?”  He whispered.

“Yes,” Izzy said.

They hurried quietly after Lucy, who was almost running in her hurry to get to the room with the wardrobe.  When Edmund and Izzy caught up, it was to find the door partly open, it was just enough for them to see inside.  Lan had become the half-grown lion he favored sometimes and was gamboling about Lucy as she pulled open the door. 

“Let’s go!”  Lan said, leaping inside.

“Hold on,” Lucy said as she scrambled up, “This isn’t easy in boots, you know.”  She pulled the door behind her and the room fell silent.

“What was that all about?”  Izzy said as she eased from Edmund’s neck, leaping down to become a sleek little grey cat.  “There can’t be that much room in there.”

“Let’s see,” Edmund said as he opened the door.  “They’re probably waiting for us to open the door so they can jump out at us.”

“Then we’ll make sure not to be in their way,” Izzy replied.

Edmund started forward and tripped over his slippers, “Argh.”

Izzy stuck her head in his face, “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Edmund said and started to get up.  They went to the door and stood behind it.  Edmund counted down from three and pulled the door open.

A pair of mothballs fell out of the wardrobe.

Edmund looked at Izzy, who surged forward and leapt into the wardrobe, “Maybe there’s a secret passage,” she said.  “Old houses are supposed to have them.”

Edmund followed hesitantly.

“Honestly Ed,” Izzy said as she watched him, “if you’d listened to me in the first place.”

“It was just a prank,” Edmund replied, trying to pretend he was not scared of the idea of being in the wardrobe with the door closed.  “Brandon’s my friend; he didn’t mean to leave me there.”

Izzy sighed, “Some friend.  Now close the door and see if that opens the passage.”

Edmund gripped the door for a moment, and then pulled it closed.  “Anything?”  He asked.

“Maybe,” Izzy said, “the floor feels strange, and it smells…”

“Izzy?”  Edmund asked.  He waited, trying to count to thirty in his head.  “Izzy!”  He said finally.

When silence met his second call, Edmund threw himself forward.  Instead of hitting a wall, Edmund stumbled forward into an oddly lit room.  As he wrapped his robe tighter about him, Edmund stared, because it was not a room.

It was a forest covered in snow.

“Edmund!”  Izzy said, bounding from behind him in her puppy form.  “Look.”

“I see,” Edmund said, kneeling carefully to hug his Daemon.  “You didn’t answer.”

“When?”  Izzy asked as she leaned into him, her body like a warm brand.

“Just now,” Edmund said.

Izzy shuddered, “I didn’t hear you.”  She leaned into him even more, “Maybe, because this is somewhere else, maybe the portal…”

Edmund buried his face in her shoulder for a moment, and then pulled back.  “I just had a thought,” he said.

Izzy licked his cheek, “We have to apologize to Lucy.”

“Let’s go find her,” Edmund said, standing up.  “Lucy!”  He called.

“Parthalán!”  Izzy shouted.

They started forward, “Lucy!”

“Parthalán!”

Edmund stopped for a moment, listening and looking around them.  “There’s light over there,” he said, pointing.

“Let’s go,” Izzy said, half-leaping, half running through the snow, breaking trail for Edmund to follow.

The light came from a clear lane between the trees, almost like a road.  “Where do you think it goes?”  Edmund asked, peering down the lane.

“I don’t…”  Izzy began, turning around.  “Edmund, look out!”

Edmund turned, caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a sleigh before something collided into his chest.  Izzy, in the odd form of a goat, knocked him into a snowdrift that collapsed on him, almost burying him.  Edmund fought to free himself instantly and just as he pulled himself out, the sled glided past, piling yet more snow on him.  “Hey!”  Edmund yelled.

The sled came to a stop and Edmund stared at the silver and white back.  “Uh oh,” Izzy whispered as she took on her pigeon form and landed on a branch over Edmund’s head.

Edmund edged out of the snowdrift as a woman descended from the sled and approached him.  Edmund shivered, because as cold as the forest was, the woman’s chilling glare was colder.  She reached him and gripped his collar, “How dare you speak so to the Queen of Narnia?”  She said.

“For-forgive m-me,” Edmund said, “I d-didn’t know!”

The Queen stared at him, then looked up at Izzy and then back to him and a cruel little smile drifted over her features.  “You,” she all but purred, “will make it up to me then.”


	3. Lost Illusions and Games Gone Wrong

Susan could not believe Edmund.  He had hurt Lucy badly with his callous rejection of their game, and he showed no remorse for sending her to tears.  Peter seemed frustrated, but he would not tell her what was going on and Garry, Gahariet, said that Bonny would not talk to him either.  While Susan had not really expected Peter to confide in her, Bonny’s rebuff of Gary surprised her.  It sometimes felt like Peter’s Boudicca and Garry were always talking about something.

“I’m sure Peter has a reason,” Gary said as he toyed with the fringe on her bed curtains.

“He probably thinks he has to take care of all of us,” Susan replied, “because he’s the oldest.  I still can’t believe Edmund won’t apologize to Lucy either.”

“Izzy hasn’t been talking either,” Gary said, “I think she’s worried about him.”  He smoothed down his calico coat.

Susan threw herself on her bed, making sure to keep her feet hanging over the edge.  “It feels like everything is changing, Gary.  Nothing’s the same since we got here.”

Gary crept over to curl under her chin.  “I’m still here, Sue.  You and me, we haven’t changed.”  He began to purr.

Susan rested her face against Gary’s side, pretending she was not crying.  Her mother had told her that change was hard, and she had not realized how true that was until now.  Maybe it had started the day Dad had come home with a military uniform, but Susan had been able to pretend that nothing was changing, that everything was fine.  Like Lucy, she had created a fantasy that she now must see was a fantasy.

Susan had finally run out of tears and was splashing water on her face when Lucy came running in, Lan at her heels.

“Susan, oh Susan, Mrs. Macready says we may have a picnic outside for lunch and Peter found a cricket set we could play with.”  Lucy gripped the bedpost, face lit up with excitement while Lan chased his tail.  Suddenly, Lucy frowned, “Are you all right, Susan?”

Susan smiled, “I’m fine, Lucy.  I was just feeling homesick.  Do you think Mrs. Macready will make cucumber sandwiches?”

“Oh I hope so,” Lucy said, smiling again.  “Peter even said he’s going to make Edmund join us.”

“Well, let’s go get lunch then,” Susan said.

Lucy and Lan ran out of the room at full speed.

As Susan followed, Peter came out of his room, “Was this your idea?”  Susan asked.

“No, it was Lucy,” Peter replied as he watched Bonny clear the doorway, “Lan told Bonny that she finds the idea of us chasing the ball hilarious.  Besides, the Macready likes Lucy as much as she likes any child.”

“Everyone likes Lucy,” Susan replied.

Edmund was standing at the head of the stairs, pouting.  “I don’t want to go outside,” he said.

“You’re going,” Peter replied.

“Why?”  Edmund asked.

“Because you are acting like a spoiled little brat and you still haven’t admitted you were wrong to make fun of Lucy the way you did.”  Bonny said.

“I said I was sorry,” Edmund muttered.

“Did you actually tell Lucy that?”  Peter asked in a quiet voice.

“Let’s go,” Susan said, tugging on Peter’s arm, “I’m hungry.”

Reluctantly, Peter let Susan pull him down the stairs and away from Edmund as Garry flittered around him, the jewel bright feathers of his humming bird form flashing in the light from the windows.  “Don’t worry,” he said as he hovered close to Bonny’s ear.  “He’ll be hungry soon and the Macready won’t fix him a special meal.”

“Good point,” Bonny replied as she shied away from Garry, “That tickles.”

Susan smiled, “Don’t worry; we’ll get through to Ed.  We have plenty of time.”

“Where’s Edmund?”  Lucy asked from the foot of the stairs as she danced around a picnic basket.

“He’s coming,” Susan said.

“Yes, you know Edmund,” Gary said as he hovered over Lan, “he doesn’t want to do any work so he’s dragging his feet.”

“Ok,” Lucy said with a laugh.

They were setting out the food on the old blanket Macready had given them when Edmund showed up.  Izzy was bounding around him as a golden retriever, and they both looked less petulant than they had inside.  “Hi Izzy!”  Lan said as they got close, he leapt forward and knocked into Izzy’s side.

“Just in time to eat,” Susan said while Lucy giggled.

Peter passed Edmund a plate, “Sit down,” he said with a smile.  “Enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you,” Edmund said hesitantly as he sat down.

“After lunch, we’re going to play cricket,” Lucy said as she arranged a cucumber sandwich on her plate.

“Do you know how to play?”  Edmund said.

“Not really,” Lucy said, her enthusiasm undaunted, “but I can hit the ball!”

Cricket was fun, with Lucy and Lan trying so hard to do it right, while Edmund was a reluctant player, although naturally talented, and Peter and Susan just enjoying the fact that there was not any tears at the moment.

Then Edmund hit the ball through a window.

“Oh well done, Ed,” Peter said.

“You bowled it,” Edmund retorted.

“Like that means something,” Bonny said, “let’s go find the ball.”

Finding the ball lead to running from Macready to hiding in the contentious wardrobe.

At least, Susan thought they were hiding until someone’s small hands, _Lucy’s_ , shoved her into Peter, and Peter tripped.  Susan braced herself for the impact against the back wall.

Only the fall was a lot longer than it was supposed to be, and the impact on the ground was cushioned by something cold, soft, and wet.

Susan opened eyes she hadn’t meant to close and stared at the white covered ground.

Garry, his calico face puzzled, edged forward and batted at the ground.

“It’s snow.”


	4. The Cave, The Robin, and The Lamppost

Peter stared, only remembering to roll off of Susan when she elbowed him.  “Bonnie?”  He croaked as he stood up.

Bonnie, or Boudicca, crept forward, her long ears dragging the top of the snow as she sniffed it.  “It’s real,” she said, looking at Peter, “its real snow.”

Peter looked over as Susan stood up; she was almost as pale as the snow that decorated her sweater.  Gahariet settled on her shoulder, his iridescent hummingbird wings still for a change as he half hid under her hair.

Something cold and wet collided with Peter’s head.  He yelled as part of it fell into his shirt collar, “Lucy,” he said, turning to his sister.

Parthalán shook his half-grown mane and growled deep in his chest.  Lucy, standing behind him, arms crossed and glaring, shouted, “I told you!”

“Lucy,” Peter began.

“I told you it was real,” Lucy shouted, “but you didn’t believe me.  You never believe me.”  She ducked and launched another snowball, which hit Edmund and Iseult, most of it hitting Edmund’s chest.  “You believed _him!”_

Peter offered his hand, “Lucy, I am so sorry.”  He ducked as Lucy threw another snowball.

“I’m going to see Mister Tumnus, he listens to me,” Lucy declared, throwing one last snowball at Edmund, “and he doesn’t lie.”

“Lucy,” Susan said and hurried after Lucy and Lan.

Peter whirled on Edmund, grabbing his arm to his brother could not escape. 

“Ow,” Edmund whined, and Iseult hissed at Peter.

“We’re going to have a long talk later,” he told his brother, “this,” he glanced around the forest, “there is no excuse.”

Edmund yanked his arm free and stormed off, following the path broken by Susan and Lucy.  Peter shivered as he watched Edmund disappear into the trees.  “Peter,” Bonnie said, in that extremely reasonable tone she used when she was about to suggest something that should have been obvious, “Why don’t you use one of the coats in the wardrobe?”

“I can’t,” Peter began.

“If you think about it logically,” Bonnie interrupted him, “we aren’t actually taking them _out_ of the wardrobe, are we?”

“What would I ever do without you?”  Peter asked as he stepped back into the wardrobe.

“Run around witless, I’d imagine,” Bonnie replied.

Peter rummaged through the wardrobe for the smallest coats he could find and tried on the biggest of the four.  It hung to his calves and covered his hands completely.  Peter sighed, threw the other three coats over his arm and headed out, “This will be good enough,” he muttered as he struggled through the snow.

“You know those are ladies coats,” Bonnie said.

“Edmund will wear it or freeze,” Peter replied, “I’m not going to be responsible for his choices.”  He could not be, not when Edmund seemed to be heading downhill at an incredible rate.

The other three had stopped to wait for him, at least, shivering as they stood around a tall lamppost.  “Why is there a lamppost in the forest?”  Peter asked.

“No one knows,” Lucy replied, “Mister Tumnus said this place was called Lantern Waste because of it.”  She pointed, “His home is that way, I’m sure he’ll be delighted to meet all of you.”  She paused, “If you want to come.”

“I do,” Peter said firmly.  “But first, you need a coat.”

“Peter!”  Susan said as Lucy took the coats from Peter, “Did you steal these from the wardrobe?”

“I didn’t take them _out_ of the wardrobe, Sue,” Peter replied.  “We’re still _in_ the wardrobe.”

“This is a girl’s coat,” Edmund said, offended.

Peter glanced at him for a moment, “I know,” he replied, “wear it or freeze.”

After a moment, Edmund pulled it on.  Peter enviously noted that it fit better than his did.  “Don’t whine, Edmund,” Bonny snapped, shaking to rid her of some snow, “yours fits better than Peter’s coat, and all the other coats were a lot bigger than his.”

“We need to go,” Peter said, glancing at the sky, “It looks like it’s going to start snowing soon.”

“This way,” Lucy said, she charged off, Lan leaping at her heels as a husky puppy once more.  She stopped at the edge of the clearing around the post and put her hands on her hips, “I’m still mad at you though,” she announced then turned and headed off.

Peter smiled fondly as he followed her, Susan and a reluctant Edmund behind him.

Any amusement Peter was feeling vanished when they arrived at Mister Tumnus’s home, which was a cave at the base of an impressively high cliff.  It had a rounded, green door that was hanging on a single hinge.  “Oh no,” Lucy cried and threw herself forward before Peter could grab her.  Lan followed her, back as a rangy, half-grown lion.

Peter hurried after her, letting Bonnie’s bear form clear the snow in front of them as they went.  He did not glance back, because as comforting as Gahariet as a Lynx might look, he still was not sure he approved of the snake form Iseult seemed to prefer.

Lucy ducked past the broken door, and moments later cried out, “He’s gone!”

Peter watched as Bonnie slid back into her spaniel form to squeeze through the door after Lan, feeling a faint tug at the distance.  He slowed long enough to ease past the door, and then found himself with an arm full of a hysterically sobbing Lucy.  “It’s okay,” he murmured, pulling her away to allow Susan and Edmund to get inside the cave.  “It’s okay,” he whispered, holding her and stroking her hair like his mother did when she was upset.  He scanned the cave, which had clearly been someone’s home and was now a mess with over turned furniture and broken crockery everywhere.

“Parthalán?”  Bonnie asked, nudging the uneasily shifting lion.

“We thought he was safe,” Lan replied uneasily as he leaned back against Bonnie, “when we came back and he wasn’t bothered.  I don’t understand.”

“Look,” Susan said, pointing to a letter tacked to the door.  “He was arrested for high treason, specifically comforting the Queen of Narnia’s enemies and,” she stopped, her voice breaking, “and fraternizing with a human.”  She turned to look at Peter, “Now we really should go back.”

“No,” Lucy screamed, fighting free of Peter, “No, we have to help Mister Tumnus.”

“He was arrested for being with a human, Lucy,” Peter said as he grabbed her arm.  “What do you think that means for us?”

“But I’m the human he was with,” Lucy replied, “this is my fault.”

“No it’s not,” a strong, masculine voice replied.

Lucy yelped as Peter’s hand inadvertently tightened on her arm, “Peter,” she said.

“I’m sorry Lu,” Peter replied.

“Who said that?”  Susan asked, “It wasn’t Gary.”

“It wasn’t Lan,” Lucy added.

“I did.”

Peter looked around and froze as he saw a robin perched on a bookshelf that had been knocked over.  He glanced around again, but Lan, who liked to be a robin, was still a lion, and Gary was a lynx.  “Who are you?”  Bonnie barked.

“Robin,” the Robin replied, he studied her, “You’re the humans aren’t you, with the animals that change form.”

“Yes,” Lucy said, “we are, do you know where Mister Tumnus is?”

“He’s in the Witch’s Castle,” Robin replied, “but that’s neither here nor there.  It is too dangerous for you lot to stay here much long, and you cannot go back to the lamppost again.  The Witch has spies out.  We don’t think she knows you’re here yet.”

“Lucy,” Peter said, trying to think of a way to remind his sister that you just did not talk to someone else’s Daemon like that.

“He’s not a Daemon,” Lucy said, “he’s a robin that talks.  There are all sorts of amazing beings in Narnia, Mister Tumnus told me about them.”

“She’s right,” Robin said, “and I need to get you to someone you can trust.  There are ways to help Mister Tumnus, but someone else will have to explain.  Come on then.”  He headed for the door.

Lucy ducked Peter’s grab and followed him, Lan fluttering over her head as a robin.  “Lucy,” Susan cried, hurrying after her.

“Come on Ed,” Peter said, “we should stick together.”

Edmund, who looked pale, nodded, “Right,” he murmured.

“Are you ok?”  Peter asked.

“I’m fine,” Edmund said, “we should hurry.”  He wiggled past the broken door and vanished.

Peter cast one last look at the cave that had once been a comfortable and cheery home, and then followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time remembering that these four are canonically 8, 10, 12 and 14. If they seem too old, I apologize. I tried.


	5. Thrones and More

As the Robin led them away from Mister Tumnus’s house, Lan changed from his lion form into a robin and fluttered around Lucy’s head.

“I say,” Robin said when Lan settled on a low branch, “Mister Tumnus told me, but that is disconcerting.  Can you become anybody?”

Lan shrugged, “I’ve become everything I’ve tried, except for a dragon. I can’t be a dragon.”

“Lucy,” Peter said.

Lucy glanced at him before turning her attention to the Robin, “Where are we going?”

“I dare not say,” Robin replied, “even some of the trees are on _her_ side.”

“Are there really no humans in Narnia?”  Lucy asked as she scrambled over a fallen log.

“No,” Robin said, “but Narnia has never really been a home for Men, but there are others who can tell the tales of Narnia better than I.”

“But then why is the White Witch so against Humans anyways?”  Lucy asked.

Robin chirped, “So many questions little one, and good ones they are.  However, this is not the place or the time; it’s not safe to make a great deal of noise.”

Lucy bit her lip, “I’m sorry,” she said as Lan dropped to her shoulder.

“It’s all right,” Robin said, “I simply want you to be safe.  Ah, here we are.”  He settled on a different branch, cleared his throat and said, “I am a child of Spring.”

A deeper voice replied, “I am a son of Summer.”

“We’re clear,” Robin said, “just go around those bushes and you’ll get your answers, little one.  May the winds be ever in your favor.”

“Bye,” Lucy said faintly as Lan landed on her shoulder.

“I liked him,” Lan said.

“Let’s see who is here,” Lucy said, she waded through the snow around the bushes and wiggled between two trees to a place where the snow did not touched the ground.  Waiting there was a large, brown creature with a flat tail.

Lan dove off Lucy shoulder when she gasped, landing on four paws, half crouched in front of Lucy.  “Who are you?”  Lan demanded.

“My name is Beaver,” the creature said, and he produced a white square of cloth, “and this is my token.”

Lucy reached over Lan to take the token as Peter, Susan and Edmund scrambled into the cramped little clearing.  Studying the white square, Lucy found the shaky embroidery she’d done, _LP_ , trying to imitate her grandmother last Christmas.  “This is mine,” she said, showing the letters to Susan.  “I gave my handkerchief to Mister Tumnus that first day.”

“He gave it to me,” Beaver said, “to prove that I was a friend.”

“Then you know what happened to him,” Lucy said, “and how we can help him.”

“I do,” Beaver said, he paused, “but you must all be freezing.  I hardly notice the cold anymore.”

“I’m fine,” Lucy said.

“You’re shivering,” Susan told her quietly.

“My place isn’t too far from here,” Beaver continued, “and my wife will have the kettle on for tea.”

“Tea?”  Peter said.

“I know, it gets dark so early these days,” Beaver said, “will you come?”

“Yes,” Lucy said firmly, reaching out to thread her fingers through Lan’s mane.  “Lead the way, Mister Beaver.”

They hurried through the woods and Lucy found herself leaning a bit more on Lan as they went.  She tripped at one point and went face first into the snow.  “Lucy!”  Peter said, his hands coming around her to gently help her up.

“I’m all right,” Lucy said, not wanting him to see she was ready to cry.

“You’re tired,” Peter said.  He shifted, “Here, I’ll carry you piggy-back.”

Lucy scrambled onto his back with a little grin.  “Thank you,” Lucy muttered as Lan shot into the air to flitter around them for a long moment.

They started again and soon were topping a snowy ridge.  The forest stopped just shy of the crest and they were free to look down into a rocky valley with a small river, now frozen, flowing down the center.  “It’s a lovely place,” Susan said after a moment.

“The missus likes it well enough,” Beaver replied.  He pointed, “And she’s got the kettle on.  We’ll have hot tea waiting for us.”  He hurried down the slope, cutting a crooked zigzag path that avoided the icy rocks that lay scattered about the slope like a giant’s scatter marble collection.  Then they were crossing the icy, incomplete dam and into the cramped, wooden home of the Beavers.

Peter had let Lucy down just before the door, and Lucy paused to pick up Lan before following Mister Beaver into his home, allowing Lan to drape himself around her neck like a ferret necklace.  Peter ducked his shoulder to let Bonnie scramble up his arm to perch on his shoulder, her monkey face twisting around as she looked at everything and her tail wrapped around Peter’s neck like a scarf.  Susan held Gary to her chest, stroking his long, bunny ears with gentle, but nervous fingers.  Then Izzy appeared in the room, not the verdant green snake, but a grey striped tabby that sniffed around Edmund with wide eyes.

“Mrs. Beaver,” Mister Beaver said, “look who has come to tea.”

“You must be Lucy and Parthalán,” Mrs. Beaver said, smiling at Lucy.  “Mister Tumnus told us about you.”

Lucy blushed, “Thank you, Mrs. Beaver, I am Lucy.  This is my family, Peter and Boudicca, Susan and Gahariet, and Edmund and Iseult.”

“All of you are welcome,” Mrs. Beaver said, “it’s almost tea time, Mister Beaver.  We’re just waiting on the fish.”

“Fish?”  Mister Beaver said, “Yes, I’ll get right on that.”

“May I help?”  Peter asked as he followed Mister Beaver back out of the cabin.

“Can I help?”  Lucy asked Mrs. Beaver, standing back from the stove respectfully.

“There are dishes in that cabinet,” Mrs. Beaver pointed, “you may set the table.  Ms. Susan, can you cut the bread?”

“I can,” Susan replied hesitantly.

Lucy watched her take the knife Mrs. Beaver offered, and the loaf, then she turned to her own task.  As she laid the plates, Lucy noticed that Lan was watching over her shoulder, “What is it?”  She whispered to Lan.

Lan turned to her, his whiskers tickling her ear as he replied quietly, “Something’s going on with Edmund.  I don’t know what yet, but Iseult isn’t happy.”

“I’m sure it will be ok,” Lucy murmured as she put down the last plate.  “Mrs. Beaver, where is the silverware?”

“In that drawer, thank you,” Mrs. Beaver replied.

Lucy collected the silverware quickly and turned to find Edmund placing cups on the table.  Izzy was perched on the chair beside him, staring at Lan and Lucy.

“Thank you, Edmund,” Lucy said as she began putting out the knives, spoons, and forks.

“You’re welcome, Lu,” Edmund replied, giving her a shy smile.  “I’m sorry I lied.”

Lucy smiled back at him, “I forgive you, Ed.”

Peter and Mr. Beaver came in from outside carrying between them a basket, “And she becomes anything?”  Mr. Beaver was saying.

“She becomes what she wants,” Peter replied, “although she’ll settle at some point into her adult form.  That’s what tells people what type of person you are, the daemon that follows you.”

“They do studies about it, do they?”  Mr. Beaver asked.

“They do,” Peter agreed, “although it’s highly regulated after what happened.”  He trailed off, looking at Lucy for a moment.  He blinked and looked at Mr. Beaver, “There were some unethical studies about sixty years ago that led to the study of daemons and their bond with humans becoming highly restricted.”

“You mean the Gobblers?”  Lucy asked as Lan became his lion again.

“Where did you hear about that?”  Peter asked.

“John and Harry,” Lucy said, “John said they were monsters that eat daemons, and Harry said that they worked for the Witches.”  She watched as Peter’s expression darkened for a moment.

“Your friends have big imaginations,” Susan said as she put the bread on the table.

Peter put the basket beside Mrs. Beaver and knelt down, putting his hands on Lucy’s shoulders, “Lucy,” he said quietly, “the Gobblers weren’t monsters.  They were men, and what they did was terrible, but they don’t exist anymore.  Grandpa and the soldiers made sure of it, and when you’re older, you’ll hear the full story, ok?”

“Okay,” Lucy said.  She leaned forward and hugged her brother tightly as the smell of frying fish surrounded them.

After tea, Lucy looked at the Beavers, “You said we could help Mister Tumnus.”

Mister and Mrs. Beaver exchanged a look, “Well dear,” Mrs. Beaver said, “we cannot storm the Winter Castle and demand Tumnus be released.  The Witch would turn us into stone for laughs.”

“Then what can we do?”  Peter asked quietly.

“There are those who stand against the Witch,” Mister Beaver said, “and they are gathering in preparation for what is coming.”

“Coming?”  Susan said, looking troubled.

“War is coming,” Mister Beaver said.  “We’ve only been waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”  Lucy asked.

“For Aslan,” Mister Beaver replied solemnly.

Lucy gasped as she was filled with joy, and Lan became a Robin, leaping in the air to circle Lucy’s head until they were both dizzy.

Bonny climbed over Peter’s shoulder until she was perched half in his lap, hugging him while Peter began to smile.

Susan bent over, burying her face in Gary’s cream-colored fur, her long hair tangling with Gary’s ears.

Izzy flashed back into a snake, and Edmund scooped her up to cuddle her close, a sort of awe-filled look of terror on his face.

“Who is Aslan?”  Lucy asked finally.

“Aslan,” Mr. Beaver hesitated, “Aslan is the lion and ruler of Narnia.  He sang Narnia to life and crowned her first king.  He has ever been our guide and guardian.”

“If Aslan is so powerful,” Edmund said, “Then why is the Witch here?”

“Aslan has many duties that keep him from Narnia,” Mrs. Beaver said, “he created a protection for us that lasted for centuries.  When the protections failed, the Witch invaded Narnia with her Army, and before any of us knew it, the winter began.”

“Always winter,” Lucy murmured, “but never Christmas.”

“Exactly,” Mr. Beaver replied.

“What changed?”  Susan asked, “Why did Aslan come back now?”

“Because of the prophecy,” Mister Beaver replied.

“What prophecy?”  The Pevensies asked in unison.

_“When Adam’s Flesh and Adam’s Bone_

_Sit in Cair Paravel in Throne_

_Then the evil time will be over and done.”_

“But what does that mean?”  Peter asked after a moment.

“In the Castle of Cair Paravel, there are four thrones,” Mister Beaver said slowly, “awaiting the rightful kings and queens of Narnia to sit upon them in state.”

“I still don’t understand,” Lucy protested.

“Aslan told us that four human children, a family, would come to Narnia, and on the day that one of them steps onto Narnian soil, he would return to prepare the way. 

_Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,_

_At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,_

_When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death_

_And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”_

 

“Aslan has come to gather the army, to prepare for war,” Mrs. Beaver said, “and you four have been the first humans who are family to step foot on Narnian soil in over a hundred years.  That means that you are the people Aslan foretold.  You are the rightful Kings and Queens of Narnia.”

“You must be mistaken,” Peter said, “right Ed?”

Lucy turned to where Edmund had been.  He’d pulled back after the first mention of Aslan, Izzy again winding around his neck as a snake.

Neither boy nor daemon was in the Beavers’ tiny house.


	6. I Believe

Edmund shivered as he followed Izzy down the river.  Izzy was breaking the path for Edmund in the form of a mountain goat, her white coat almost invisible against the snow as she hopped along.  He wasn’t sure what pulled him to the White Witch.  The longer he’d been in England, the less she’d dominated his thoughts, as if the time and distance had done something.

From the moment they entered Narnia again, the Queen’s commands had been on his mind.  They preyed on his thoughts as if she was still whispering in his ear on an icy sleigh.

“Ed, do we have to do this?”  Izzy asked as she hopped onto a rock and watched him stumble to catch up.

“Yes,” Edmund said, panting.  “We have to go to her.  She’ll fulfill those promises she made.”

“Do you think so?”  Izzy asked.

“She’s the Queen,” Edmund replied as he braced himself against the rock.  “Mum said that they have to keep their promises or the people wouldn’t let them rule anymore.”

As they approached the icy castle, Edmund wished he had his earlier confidence.  The white walls and stern towers made him feel weak and insignificant.

Izzy butted his leg after a moment, “It’ll be a bit warmer inside,” she said.  “Less wind.”

“Right,” Edmund replied.

They hurried to the open gate and Edmund reached out to tangle his fingers in the hair on Izzy’s neck.  For a moment, he thought he heard Lucy screaming his name, but it was gone when he stepped through the gate.

The courtyard was filled with statues, snow-covered statues.  They were lifelike enough that only the snow covering assured Edmund that they were not going to suddenly attack him.  The bears, great cats, and even an elephant were bad enough without counting the ones that looked like they were from the book of myths Lucy had uncovered in the Professor’s library.

“There’s the door,” Izzy said.

Edmund followed her across the courtyard, trying not to stare at all the fantastical statues around him.  Then they were tripping up a set of broad, shallow steps to find another statue sprawled over the doorway.  Edmund thought it was a dog of some sort, but he didn’t get a good look, because Izzy started to leap over it, and it moved.

It was a wolf, Edmund came to realize as he gave in to the nausea, and _it was holding Izzy._

He saw a flash of green in the corner of his eye, falling to the ground, then Izzy was leaping onto his shoulder, a gray tabby with all of her fur fluffed up, and then she was back around his neck like a bright green scarf.

The wolf was yelping and dancing away, covered in…

Edmund closed his eyes as his stomach heaved again.

“What is going on here?”  Someone shouted.

“Visitors, Housekeeper,” a disgusted, gravelly voice replied.

“Who are you then?”  The shouter demanded.  Edmund cautiously opened his eyes to find a dwarf watching him with… her… his… their arms crossed.  “Well?”

Edmund took an unsteady breath.  “My name is Edmund Pevensie,” he said, “This is my Daemon, Iseult.  I met Queen Jadis in the woods many weeks ago and she ordered me to come to her palace when I returned.”

“He’s also a Son of Adam,” Izzy hissed at the wolf.

“Indeed,” the dwarf said.  “Now what happened here?  Are you ill?”

“It was a goat,” the wolf muttered crossly.

“Of course it was a goat,” the dwarf said, “go get cleaned up and send Calten to take your post.”

“Yes Housekeeper,” the wolf said, “I apologize for manhandling you,” he added over his shoulder before disappearing.

“I apologize as well,” the dwarf said, “usually Genim is one of our best for greeting guests.  I hope you were not harmed.”

“No,” Edmund said.  “It’s just; you’re not supposed to touch her.”

“Of course not,” the dwarf agreed.  “Now, the Queen is out, but the captain is here.  I’ll bring you to the lesser throne room to wait for him.”

“Thank you,” Izzy said as she slid her head against Edmund’s cheek reassuringly.

The so-called lesser throne room was large enough to hold the entire house back in Finchley with room to spare.  “Do you think the greater throne room would fit the Professor’s house?”  Edmund asked as they looked around.

“Probably,” Izzy said, “it’s so big.”

“You are the Queen’s human,” someone growled.

Edmund spun to find a huge wolf approaching him.  “What… yes…  I think,” he said, backing away from the wolf.

“Stand still,” the wolf snapped.  Edmund froze.  “I’m Captain Maugrim.  The Queen told me about you, and your siblings, are they here?”

“N-no,” Edmund said, reaching up to touch Izzy for reassurance.  “We- we quarreled and parted ways.  I didn’t know what to do, or where to go, so I came here.”  The lie came to him before he even realized he didn’t trust the wolf.  “I don’t know where they are, but they’re in Narnia.  I think Lucy took them to the fawn.”

“Very well,” the wolf said.  He turned, “Housekeeper!”

“Yes Captain,” the dwarf said, entering the room at nearly a run.

“Get the boy food and drink and put him in a room.  Send that idiot Genim to watch him.  The Queen will see to him when she returns.”

“At once Captain,” the dwarf said with a curtsey.  “Come, Sir Edmund, Lady Iseult, if you will follow me.”

Edmund hurried after the dwarf, eager to get away from Captain Maugrim.  After a few paces, the wolf lunged forward as if to snap at him and Izzy threw herself at the wolf, a soft ripple around her as she became a deadlier snake.  Maugrim jumped away laughing as Edmund lunged forward to pick his daemon up.

“Next time, I’ll bite him,” Izzy muttered as Edmund slung her back over his neck.  “I don’t care if it makes us sick, I’ll make him sick first.”

“Be careful about that,” the dwarf said, “the Queen will tolerate no disrespect to the Captain.”

“I will not tolerate threats to Edmund,” Izzy replied.

“That’s all well and good, little one,” the dwarf said, “but can you stop magic?”  She stopped by a statue of a cowering fawn.  “These aren’t just statues; these are the ones who vexed our Queen.”

“I don’t understand,” Edmund said.

“She turns them to stone,” the dwarf said, “those who have angered her the most.  It’s worse than executing them, because they’re still alive in there.”

“Can she turn them back?”  Edmund asked.

“She has turned a few,” the dwarf said as she started off again.  “Every few years she’ll release two or three to go out and tell people what happened.”

They soon came to a sitting room with a warm fire and light blue and grey tapestries on the walls.  It was the warmest room Edmund had been in yet.

The wolf from the front door was lounging on a cushion by the fire, fur wet and sticking out at odd angles.  “I swear, Genim, you are the laziest wolf,” the dwarf declared as she bustled forward.

“I’m wet and cold,” the wolf replied with a twitch of his ear.

“Edmund, I’ll bring you some food soon.  Just wait here,” the dwarf said, straightening a cushion or two before she left.

Edmund settling gingerly onto a couch, staring at the wolf as Izzy squeezed his throat gently.

“I’m not going to do any tricks,” the wolf, Genim, announced lifting his head to stare back at Edmund.

“Sorry,” Edmund said, looking away.  “I’m sorry about earlier.  I didn’t mean to throw up on you.”

“It’s okay,” Genim said, “I should have remembered about the Gift.”

“The what?”  Edmund asked.

Genim stood up and moved closer, “They say that before the Queen came, the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve were given a Gift from Aslan.  A partner, a second self, to teach them the way of fur and fang since they could not understand themselves.  When I was a pup, we went over the mountains to gain hunt rights from Archenland.  They have Men there, and that’s where I learned of the Gift.  It was a long time ago, though and I’ve slept since then.”  Light blue eyes studied Edmund for a long moment, “And I strongly suggest you never repeat that anywhere in the Queen’s reach.  She doesn’t take too kindly to his name.”

“You’re pretty free with it,” Izzy commented.

Genim shrugged.  “I believe in a free Narnia.”  The words clearly meant something to the wolf, although Edmund wasn’t sure.

“Tell me about Narnia,” Edmund said, “what kind of place is this.”

Genim walked back to his cushion and settled in to tell Edmund stories of his childhood.

As Genim talked, Edmund resettled himself in his chair, allowing the wolf’s rough voice to wash over him and lull him into a place between waking and sleeping.

Suddenly the door slammed open.  Genim leaped to his feet and Edmund fell out of his chair.  Queen Jadis stalked into the room.  “Tell me, Edmund,” she said a sweet but dangerous voice, “why did you lie to Captain Maugrim.”

“What?”  Edmund asked as he clutched Izzy to his chest.

“Why did you lie,” Jadis demanded.

“I- I didn’t,” Edmund protested.

“You said you quarreled and split from your siblings, that you didn’t know where they are.”  Maugrim said as he stepped around the Queen.

“I don’t know where they are,” Edmund said, “and we did quarrel.”

“Was that before or after you enjoyed fish and chips with the Beavers?”  Maugrim asked.

“After,” Edmund said.  “Peter was being a…”

“I don’t care,” Jadis snarled as she bent over him.  “I told you to bring your siblings to me.  You did not.  That is failure, and I do not tolerate failure.”

“They wouldn’t listen to me,” Edmund said.

“He’s right,” Izzy said, “we tried.”

“I’ve had enough out of you,” Jadis snapped.  Faster than Edmund could process, she had grabbed Izzy at the base of her skull and had ripped her away from Edmund, flinging her across the room.  Edmund screamed as pain and nausea ripped through him yet again, he clutched his stomach, hunching into a fetal position.

Jadis slapped him, “Enough.  I didn’t even touch you.”  She straightened up with a look of disgust.  “You, wolf,” she pointed at Genim, “assist Captain Maugrim in escorting this one to the cells.  I have no time for a failure.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Genim said with a bow.

Edmund stared as Jadis swept from the room. 

“Human,” Maugrim snarled, “start moving.”

Edmund jumped and headed for the doo, bending only to pick up Izzy and let her slide up his arm under his shirt, cool scales warming as she moved to settle around his waist.  It wasn’t safe, but no one could see her and she was with him.

Maugrim led the way after the first staircase, much to Edmund’s relief.  Genim didn’t snap at his heels when he tried to hurry.

It might have been his imagination, but as the dwarf jailer locked the door, Genim looked sad.  Edmund watched as Genim followed Maugrim and wondered what had brought the wolf into the Queen’s service, and why he didn’t try to escape when he was clearly so unhappy.

Edmund turned away before the door shut, studying the small cell that was his for now.  Izzy slid out of his shirt after a moment and settled around his shirt.  “Home sweet home,” she muttered.

“For now,” Edmund replied.  “Izzy, I think I really screwed up this time.”

“It’ll work out,” Izzy said.  “It always does.”

“How?”  Edmund asked, slumping on the pile of straw that was meant to be his bed.  “Peter’s mad at me, Susan can’t even look at me, and you heard Lucy!  Why would they bother to come after me?  I’d just mess it up again, like I always do.”

“Did- did you say Lucy?”  A soft voice said.

“I might have,” Edmund replied.  In a cell across the way, a man limped into view.  Then Edmund noticed his legs.  “You’re a faun!”

“I am,” the faun said, “my name is Mister Tumnus.”

“You’re Lucy’s friend,” Izzy said.

“I’m Edmund,” Edmund said, “This is Iseult, my daemon.”

Mister Tumnus smiled sadly, “I’d say it was a pleasure, Edmund, but this is not that time.  How did you come to Narnia?”

“I followed Lucy,” Edmund admitted, “it was a few days ago.  She went to see you and I met the Queen.”

“Ah,” Mister Tumnus nodded.  “It didn’t take her long to hear of Peter and Susan, I imagine.”

“No,” Edmund said.  “We’re all here now.  It was kind of an accident, but then we saw what happened at your home.”

“We had a fight,” Izzy said, “and Edmund and I split away from the group.  They were with Mister Beaver.”

“He’s a good sort,” Mister Tumnus said, “strong believer and all.”

A soft woof made Mister Tumnus stumble back until Genim entered the cells.  “Edmund, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Edmund said.

“What do you want, wolf?”  Mister Tumnus asked, “Haven’t your kind…”

“ _My_ kind, faun?”  Genim said.  “I’m not here in the castle by choice.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that?”  Mister Tumnus demanded.

“I believe in a Free Narnia,” Genim hissed.

Tumnus swallowed, “You’re… you’re…”

“I am,” Genim nodded.  “Edmund, you must be careful.  If She comes down here, she’ll go after Iseult.  She always forgets how good wolves are at hearing.  I think she’s planning to do something to Iseult.  She said something about severing you first.”

Edmund swallowed and clutched Iseult close.  Severing was a nightmare he’d heard about in school.  For a long moment, he couldn’t see, surrounded by a blackness that was more than just the dark, Iseult almost too far away with too many doors between.  A prank, they had called it.

“Edmund,” Tumnus hissed.

“Izzy,” Edmund said, “you have to go.”

“Go where?”  Izzy asked.

“There’s an air shaft in your cell,” Genim said, “it opens outside the walls.  It’s too small for most prisoners.”

“Hide there,” Edmund said, trying not to cry.  “When it’s safe…”

“Okay,” Izzy said.

She turned into a bat and flew up, finding the hole in the ceiling and vanishing inside.  Moments later, Edmund felt the tug of a stretched bond.  “There’s some grating up here,” Izzy announced, sounding preoccupied.  “I’ll wait on the other side, so they can’t reach me.”

“Okay,” Edmund replied unsteadily.

“I can’t stay,” Genim said.

“Genim, if something happens…”  Edmund hesitated.  “Find my family, tell them I’m sorry.”

“I will,” Genim promised.

Edmund settled against the wall and tried to breath around the panic that settled heavily in his chest.  After a bit, he must have dozed off, because he next awoke when the cell door slammed open.  “Where is she?”  Jadis demanded.

“I sent her away,” Edmund replied.  “You won’t get her.”

Jadis’s lip curled in contempt.  “Never mind, we must leave.”

“Who said I was going anywhere with you?”  Edmund asked.

“Who said you had a choice?”  Jadis retorted as a pair of dwarves entered the cell.  “Take him to the sledge.”

Edmund glanced up, but he didn’t see Izzy as he was yanked out of the cell.  Edmund gritted his teeth as pain ripped through him.  He fought to keep to his feet, mentally screaming for Izzy to stay away, to stay hidden.  The pain of the stretching bond was better than the greasy sickness that was anyone _touching_ Izzy.

He was dragged up to the Witch’s sleigh and dropped unceremoniously onto the floor.  The Witch arrived moments later and they were off with several cracks of the whip.

Suddenly his bond with Iseult changed, pain tore through his body and with a scream, Edmund collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent a lot of time going back and forth on Edmund being bespelled. (Apparently I have a thing about characters I like who do horrible things being brainwashed in some fashion.) I leave it ambiguous this time. Also, went back and forth on the thing about Izzy and Edmund.
> 
> Also, note the new character, the wolf Genim. He popped up and demanded a speaking role.


	7. Escape!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been about eighteen months since I put this on hiatus. Events recently conspired to help me to figure out how to work around canon. Enjoy!

The White Witch had dragged Edmund out of the room mere minutes before when Iseult appeared from the air vent, twisting from a bat into a white goat and throwing herself at the bars. "Let me out," she cried.

"Iseult," Tumnus said, worried that the goat would hurt herself. Iseult let out a scream and collapsed. Tumnus pressed himself to the bars, staring at the goat, but she didn't move.

"What's going on here?"

Tumnus twisted to see the grey wolf called Genim come down the stairs. "Where's Edmund?" Tumnus asked.

"They left," Genim said, "along with Maugrim and most of the Guard. Only the servants and a few like me left now. Is that Iseult?"

"Yes," Tumnus said.

"This is bad," Genim said, "this is so very bad."

"What do you mean?" Tumnus asked.

"Humans and their deamons are not supposed to be separated," Genim said. "It's very bad."

"What can we do?" Tumnus asked.

Genim stared at Iseult for a moment. "We have to get help. Edmund and Iseult cannot be separated for long, it could, it might, I think it would kill them."

"Who could help? We're in the Witch's castle," Tumnus said.

"No, I thought we were in Cair Paravel." Genim said. He shook himself and sneezed. "We'll take Iseult to Aslan, if anyone knows how to save Edmund it has to be the Lion."

"How? We can't touch her can we?" Tumnus asked.

"We'll have to," Genim said. "There's a couple of people we can trust that are still here."

"Genim, what are you doing?"

A white furred wolf came into the dungeon, "Are you… not again Genim. Maugrim-"

"Is not and will never be  _my_  Alpha," Genim said, "and he shouldn't be yours either Alina."

"Well he  _is,"_  Alina said. "I'm not going to get myself killed like you are."

Genim snarled, "I believe in a Free Narnia, Alina, and I'm willing to fight for it anyway I can."

"How?" Alina said, "No one can defeat the White Witch."

"Aslan can," Genim said. "Humans are in Narnia again, and Aslan is on the move."

"He's right," Tumnus said quickly.

Alina stared at the two of them, "You're both of you mad and you're going to get killed."

"Alina," Genim said.

"No," Alina said. "I won't help you." She sighed, "I won't stop you, but I won't help you."

"If Florian," Genim said.

"Florian is  _dead_ , Genim," Alina snapped, "just like you will be. I'm getting tired of burying my brothers." She turned away, then hesitated and looked back. "If you're right, about Aslan, I mean, I promise, when he comes for the castle, I won't resist. I won't fight Aslan for the Witch, but I cannot risk what remains of our family for a dream."

Genim snorted, "Go on then, Alina. You aren't going to want to see this anyways."

He stood straight until the other wolf was gone and then dropped his head with a sigh, "Sorry about that."

"It's alright," Tumnus said. "What now?"

"Now I get the other person who might help us and we get out of here," Genim said. "I'll be right back."

Tumnus watched the wolf head upstairs, then looked back over at Iseult. The goat was lying still, only the slight rise and fall of her chest indicating that she even lived.

"You know I can't go with you Genim," someone said. Tumnus pulled back, watching. Genim came into view with a Satyr behind him. The Satyr was leaning heavily on a crutch and his left leg was twisted at an odd angle. "I can't keep up."

"I know," Genim said. "But we have to go. You should get out of here when you can." He nodded to Tumnus. "Tumnus, this is Piran, he's a friend of Narnia."

"Faun," Piran said.

"Satyr," Tumnus replied as he carefully stood up. "What's going on?"

"Piran is the keeper of the Witch's wine cellar," Genim said.

"Naturally," Tumnus muttered.

"I also know a way out that won't catch attention from the loyalists," Piran said, "and I've got some travois that we can use for the goat."

Tumnus considered it for a moment. While the wolves had a reputation for being the Witch's police under Captain Maugrim, the Satyrs weren't any more likely to be  _hers_  than the Fauns. He also knew that he didn't exactly have a lily white reputation either, given his own record of employment with the Witch.

"You'll help us get out," Tumnus said, "but what will happen to you?"

"I'll be fine." Piran said, "I'm more likely to be found dead drunk than planning against the Witch."

"Edmund!" Iseult surged up right.

"Easy," Genim said.

"Where is he?" Iseult demanded and lashed out at the bars.

"Gone," Genim said. "You'll hurt yourself, be careful."

"Are you all right?" Tumnus asked.

"I'm angry," Iseult snapped. "I need to get to Edmund. Something's happened."

"We're working on it," Genim said. "Piran, the doors."

Quickly, Piran opened the door to Iseult's cell. Genim ducked his head and began speaking to Iseult earnestly as Piran opened Tumnus's door. "Are you going to be okay?" Piran asked as he unlocked the cuffs on Tumnus's feet.

"I'll be fine," Tumnus said, "thank you." He caught Piran's hand, "If you need to get out, can you get to the lantern?"

"I can," Piran said, "slowly."

"Go there, and whistle the chorus to Summer's Child," Tumnus said. "Tell the Robin that I sent you. There are people who can help you."

"I will," Piran said, "we need to go."

Genim and Iseult were vanishing further into the dungeon and Piran and Tumnus followed. Tumnus tried to keep his winces to himself, the Witch's people hadn't been gentle to him. Piran's unsteady gait and twisted limb covered Tumnus's unsteady pace while they moved, but soon enough they were standing around a brick wall.

"Mister Tumnus?" Iseult asked.

"I'm not sure I can make it to the Table," Tumnus said. "There's a herd past Beaver's dam. They might help, if we asked."

"Can you make it that far?" Genim asked.

"I'll have to," Tumnus said grimly.

"Let's go then," Genim said as Piran pulled an empty torch bracket down. The wall opened and Genim led the way into a tunnel. Tumnus clenched his fists and followed, with Iseult just behind him.

After a long moment of silence, Iseult spoke up. "You don't like goats, do you Genim?"

"Not really," Genim said slowly.

"Why?"

"The day before Maugrim ambushed my pack and murdered my parents, my father was injured by a goat. If father wasn't hurt, he would have held against Maugrim." Genim said. "Mom had just given birth, they were in no condition to fight. Maugrim's so-called police attacked us and murdered the pups while Maugrim killed my parents and my aunt and uncle. My brother Florian was wounded, so Alina begged for clemency for the rest of us and despite what any of us wanted, we were forced into Maugrim's so-called  _pack._  Florian led an attempt to break away, but he got caught. He ordered me to play along as long as I could, and I have, but a Son of Adam in Narnia and rumors of Aslan? I'll take my chances."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Iseult said after a moment.

"Thank you," Genim said.

They were silent for a while. "Edmund isn't a bad boy," Iseult said, "not really. He just made bad friends. Not the Witch, I mean, before we came here. Mother sent us to a different boarding school than Peter, to get us out of London during the War, and we ended up sharing a dorm with troublemakers. It was fun at first, we played pranks and got in trouble for it, and we thought they were our friends."

"What happened?" Tumnus asked.

"Edmund and I don't particularly care for dark, enclosed places," Iseult said slowly. "The boys decided to help us get over it, by locking Edmund in a closet, and me out of the room with the closet. The boys were all expelled, naturally, and Edmund is being switched to Peter's school, but it's left a mark, and I think that's why the Witch caught hold of Edmund so easily."

Genim snorted, "She's a witch,  _goat._  She used magic. Thing people don't know about that one is that she'll lie, cheat, steal, and pay off spies for information, then she'll pick someone, convince them that telling her what they know will quote  _spare their life_  end quote, and all they're doing is telling her things she already knows. It is how she amuses herself, by forcing people to turn traitor to tell her things she already knew."

"Then the witch knew about Aslan," Tumnus said softly.

"When she left Peter, she came back here and she summoned the harpies and the damned monkeys to check out places like the Table for signs of mobilization." Genim said. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, "It wasn't Edmund who gave you up, Tumnus, no matter what she said. It was a Sprite, three days after you met Lucy. I tried to get word to you that you'd been tipped off, but my messenger got herself on the wrong side of the Witch and is currently a statue in the courtyard."

Tumnus frowned at the wolf as he leaned against the side of the rocky tunnel. "Why would you?"

Genim sneezed, "Sorry. I told you I believe in a Free Narnia. I had to be careful, but I've gotten word out a few times. I'm not always aware of what's going on in the castle, and I can't share everything I do know. One of the others was trapped that way. My orders were more to listen, watch, and remember, for Aslan and a Free Narnia. Now, we need to get going before someone notices we're gone."

"Of course," Tumnus said.

They walked in silence for a long moment, then Iseult sighed. "I'm sorry," she said, "but you said harpies and monkeys spied for the Witch?"

"The flying monkeys," Genim said, "bloody pests that they are."

"The Witch," Iseult said, slowly, "I don't suppose this is the  _Western_  part of Narnia, is it?"

"Yes," Genim said.

"The Wicked Witch of the West and her Flying Monkeys," Iseult said, "I don't suppose she has an aversion to water in large quantities?"

**Author's Note:**

> Lucy's daemon is Parthalán but mostly she calls him Lan. He's currently unsettled.  
> [](http://s915.photobucket.com/user/guardianofhope/media/LucyandLan_zps364f16c4.jpg.html)


End file.
